TITLE: Jolinar Lives#3: The Bond
EMAIL: rosabeth@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Trilogy, S/D, slight
J/J, Angst, Drama
SPOILERS: Hathor, Forever in a
Day, Past and Present, In the Line of Duty, Tok’ra and Singularity
SEASON/SEQUEL: Third and final
part of the Jolinar Lives trilogy. Set after Past and Present
RATING: PG-13
CONTENT WARNINGS: Implications,
violence, language and Gourld possession, which is always messy.
SUMMARY: Jolinar has possessed Sam
again, after an accident in the lab.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t own them. I’m
just playing. Will put back in mint condition, but may keep Danny for a while…
AUTHOR’S NOTES: I don’t speak
Greek or Ancient Egyptian, so they’re made up. Everything about Atlantis and
seawater is to some extent true. The knife is just a way-cool thing I made up.
Right: Writing like this is
thoughts from various people or emphasis; writing like this is
Sam’s telepathy; writing like this is Daniel’s telepathy and
anything in #hashes# is Goa’uld echoey voices.
Sorry for the long wait: I’ve been
very busy. This is for the Daniel and Samantha list, who are being very patient
with me.
Daniel watched Sam,
tears spilling down his cheeks. She was deep in the throes of a nightmare,
thrashing around in her restraints. He just wanted to lean over, hold her, tell
her it was all going to be okay. But the memories, of Sam with glowing eyes,
talking like…Hathor, it was too much!
He hugged himself with his good
arm, wishing it would all just go away. He couldn’t lose Sam, the same way he
had lost Sha’re. She had been his life-line these past months, letting him cry
in her arms when it all became too much. And how had he repaid her? Falling for
a psychopathic murderer and then scaring Sam into resurrecting Jolinar. Of
course, it wasn’t like that at all but that’s how Daniel made sense of it.
Jack watched him in silence. He
was like a man possessed (not literally, thank goodness!); he kept fidgeting
and pacing around the infirmary and even General Hammond couldn’t get him to
leave.
Sam had been under heavy sedation
since Teal’c had Zatted her. The battle was still ongoing, it was plain to see,
but Sam appeared to be losing the fight. Losing to an enemy that wasn’t even
real. Jack shook his head. How could they come this far, just to lose to a dead
Goa’uld who was supposed to be their ally?
“How is she, Janet?”
“Stable. You really should get
some…”
“I do not need sleep!”
Daniel shouted at Janet, almost
flinging his sling across the room. Jack decided he should intervene.
“Hey, Danny boy: you’re no use to
Sam half-asleep. Go get some rest and I’ll call you when she wakes up.”
“And if she wakes up while I’m
sleeping? If she’s speaking Gourld? No, I’ll stay Jack. Why don’t you get
some?”
Jack started. The tables had been
turned! Janet smiled. If the situation wasn’t so volatile, it would be
hilarious.
“I might just do that. When you
get some.”
“Can you keep it down, guys? I’m
trying to sleep here.”
Daniel ran to Sam’s bedside and
smiled at the beaten-looking figure staring back up at him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like hell. Have you called the
Tok’ra?”
Jack looked at Daniel, who
shrugged. Teal’c raised an eyebrow and Janet smiled.
“Not yet. You want us to?”
Sam shrugged and a tear rolled
down her cheek.
“I’m cracking over a dead Gourld,
for heaven’s sake! What’s wrong with me?”
Daniel couldn’t stand it any
longer. He kneeled down and leaned his head on her chest, cupping her head in
his hands.
“You are gonna win, Sam. You’re
the strongest person I know and you can beat this thing.”
Sam smiled at him and he stroked
her hair gently, trying not to cry himself. The others all backed out of the
room and Jack went to find the General so he could contact the Tok’ra.
“Where’s Jolinar?”
“As far as I can tell, she’s
sleeping. But Daniel, I think she’s real…”
“No, Sam. She is just a bunch of
unleashed memories…”
“But Daniel, I can feel her.
There is something in my head. Something real.”
Daniel stopped and slowly stood
up, beckoning to Janet.
“We have a bigger problem…”
~
As the final chevron locked, Jack
waited patiently in the Gate room. The wormhole blasted open and then
solidified into the circle.
“Tok’ra GDO!”
Jack nodded to himself, as Lantesh
and Selmak came through the Gate.
“What’s wrong, Colonel?”
Well, at least the annoying
symbiots were keeping quiet.
“Sam had a little accident…”
~
Lantesh and Selmak ran into the
infirmary, panting heavily. Daniel was sitting on her pillow, with Sam’s head
in his lap. The restraints had been removed now and Sam seemed to be a little
more in control.
“Sammy?”
Sam looked up and smiled. Daniel
was still absently stroking her hair and moved to leave but Sam grabbed his
arm.
“I want you here.”
Daniel nodded and stayed put.
Lantesh walked straight up and laid a hand on her head.
#Jolinar is alive!#
Everyone visible winced and Selmak
shook his head violently, but Lantesh was defiant.
#My wife is alive, Selmak. She is
not dead, as we thought. Awaken Jolinar#
“No, don’t do that!”
Sam screamed and white light shone
from her eyes. Daniel slipped from under her and backed away. Jolinar sat up,
eyes glowing and voice acting in two-tone.
#You are here, love. Now, for my
request…#
#Jolinar, you are alive! When did
this miracle occur? We thought you dead…#
#I was, my love, but my host
released my memories and the protein marker in her blood allowed me to
regenerate. I am alive again#
Everyone in the infirmary
exchanged shocked looks, except for Jolinar and Lantesh who were gazing fondly
at each other, in a way that made Daniel sick.
“Excuse me, Jolinar, but could you
please get out of my friend’s body? She kinda needs it back.”
Jolinar fixed Daniel with a
piercing glare but he fielded it with his own stare.
#Lantesh, you need a new host#
Daniel paled slightly and Jack,
who had just arrived with Teal’c and General Hammond, was puzzled.
“What are you talking about,
Jolinar?”
#Lantesh will make Daniel his new
host. It was my request#
Daniel was shaking slightly, and
prayed that Jack wouldn’t let go of him or move away. He didn’t think he could
stand on his own at the moment.
The infirmary was silent as the
consequences of Jolinar’s words really sank in.
#Why, my love? Martouf would die
and Daniel Jackson would not be pleased#
#I do not care for protests,
Lantesh! You shall do as I say#
Jolinar grabbed Lantesh by the
throat, slowly choking him. Jack and Teal’c pulled her off him and Lantesh
stumbled back slightly, rubbing his neck.
#Absence makes the heart grow
fonder, Jolinar? You always were a bit of a devil#
Jack and Teal’c exchanged curious
glances. Was this a normal day in the Tok’ra household? However, as soon as
Jack had rushed forward, Daniel was overcome with weakness and Janet had guided
him gently into a chair. The archaeologist was shaking now and Janet was at a
loss as to why. He was mumbling to himself and Janet strained her ears to
listen.
“Edifice etcar hariman dossier ton
yet…”
Janet shook him gently, as the
rest of the room focussed on him.
“What is it, Daniel?”
The young man abruptly snapped out
of his reverie and stared at Janet.
“Nothing. I just have to look
something up.”
Without a second thought, Daniel
stood up and walked up, leaving everyone staring after him. Jolinar turned back
to Lantesh, raising her hand to stroke his cheek.
#We shall be together again, my
love. We must leave this place now#
“Now, hang on one freakin’
minute!”
Jack walked over, finger raised.
“We do want Sam back, thank you
very much. And if you’ll excuse me, you’re not acting very Tok’ra-like right now.
Aren’t you two supposed to co-exist in harmony?”
“We are, Jack. This is what I
want.”
Sam looked at him with sincere
blue eyes, just as she had when Jolinar had possessed her the first time.
Speaking in Sam’s voice had thrown him completely and it was doing so again,
but apparently, everyone else believed her.
“Are you sure, Major Carter? This
is really what you want?” General Hammond asked in concern.
“Yes, sir. Having Jolinar back has
cleared my mind. I think I’m ready for becoming a Tok’ra this time.”
~
Daniel sat in his office, flicking
through as many ancient texts as he had. The Gourld are telepathic and Sam
could send me a message but was I just imagining it…and why in another
language? Daniel knew he had heard something in a form of Greek crossed
with Ancient Egyptian, a very strange combination.
“Edifice etcar hariman dossier ton
yet …what the heck could that mean?”
He began rummaging in all his
drawers, looking for his old lecture notes. When he was first learning
hieroglyphs, the Rosetta stone was one of his favourite items of study. It was
how Ancient Egyptian was first decoded from Greek. He was sure the answer could
be found there, if it was anywhere to be found.
Daniel sat up suddenly, getting
the strangest feeling that someone was coming towards his office and that
someone was Sam. He turned back to his book, as the ‘sensation’ got closer.
Daniel was tense and afraid, trying to tell himself he was imagining things. He
heard the door creak open and whirled around.
#Hello Daniel#
Daniel gaped in surprise. Sam
stood in the doorway, decked out in a tight brown dress, made of some kind of
leather. She leaned against the frame, looking very…tempting?
“Jolinar. What can I do for you?”
Daniel kept his tone fairly polite
and even, smiling at the despicable creature before him. Sam, or now Jolinar,
came sassily into the room, sitting backwards on one of his chairs.
“#You know, don’t you?#
Daniel was immediately alarmed,
but held his expression.
“Know what, Jolinar?”
#Why speak to me and not my host?
Do you not wish to speak to Samantha?#
“I do, but since you are obviously
in control, you must be the one wanting something.”
Jolinar bowed her head and closed
her eyes, then brought it back with a start.
“Hey Daniel! Isn’t this just great?”
“Yes, Sam, it is. Did you want
something?”
Sam looked at him carefully,
studying his expression. Daniel felt a sharp jolt in his mind, followed by a
short…sentence! She’s lying.
“Why are you lying to me?”
Sam’s eyes widened, but then
settled into a carefully calculated frown.
“Lying? Why would I do that,
Daniel?”
Daniel was about to reply, when
Jack walked in. He looked at Jolinar steadily and the woman nodded.
“Colonel. I’ll leave Doctor
Jackson and you alone.”
With another nod, Sam
left the room, headed for the Gate room. Jack shut the door, and then turned to
a very puzzled Daniel.
“Since when did Carter call you
‘Doctor Jackson’?”
“That’s not Sam, Jack. That’s
Jolinar in Sam’s body, but that’s not Sam.”
Jack sat down and nodded slowly.
“I agree with you, Daniel. But how
to convince the Tok’ra.”
Daniel stood up quickly, sending
papers flying.
“Don’t you see, Jack? The Tok’ra
don’t want to be convinced! They want Jolinar back and aren’t prepared to
believe that Sam doesn’t want this too!”
Jack looked at Daniel with a new
respect. The boy has quite a temper.
“I know that as well, Daniel. But,
what can we do about it?”
“We translate this.”
Daniel passed Jack a piece of
paper and the Colonel frowned.
“Edifice etcar hariman dossier ton
yet? But what does that mean?”
But Daniel was eying Jack
carefully. He fished out his Dictaphone and held it up to Jack.
“Jack, read it again. But kinda,
pronounce it more.”
Jack frowned but did as he was
told.
“Ed-ee-fi-ss et-kar
ha-ree-man, doss-yier ton yet? That okay?”
“Perfect!”
Daniel rewound the tape slightly,
plugged the Dictaphone into his computer and brought up his own adapted
‘Language Finder’. He fiddled with some buttons and played Jack’s recording.
Jack grimaced as his distorted
voice rang out of Daniel’s speakers. Daniel was listening carefully, and
clicked on ‘check’ when the sentence was finished. The computer gave a
triumphant fanfare and Daniel eagerly scrolled through the results.
“Look at this, Jack! Most of these
words are Ancient Egyptian except for the ‘etcar hariman’.”
“That significant, Daniel?”
“Yes it is. I just don’t know how
yet.”
Just then, an airman ran in.
“Sirs! The Tok’ra are leaving.”
Jack swore and ran out while
Daniel quickly saved all the files. He stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket
and ran for the Gate room. He could hear a rather loud argument already
transpiring and quickly ran in.
“Daniel! Tell them I’m really
Sam.”
Sam looked at him with pleading
eyes, but Daniel saw right through her.
“I can’t do that, Sam.”
He walked towards Jack and stood
beside him, a visual show of support. Infuriated, Jolinar turned to General
Hammond.
#General Hammond, I believe Doctor
Jackson refuses to let my host go because of a latent attraction to her. I
cannot permit this to halt us#
The General turned towards Daniel,
who was staring at Jolinar coldly.
“Doctor Jackson?”
“Yes, General, I do have feelings
for Sam but I do this purely for her. I do not believe that Sam is in control
of her body and I refuse to let Jolinar get away with it.”
“What are you talking about,
Daniel? I’m here, talking to you.”
Daniel smiled sadly and shook his
head.
“No, you’re not Sam.”
Martouf and Jacob had kept
completely out of this, much to Jack’s surprise but he watched them carefully.
They seemed to be waiting for Daniel to say something, something unexpected but
they obviously weren’t hearing it. General Hammond cut in.
“Doctor Jackson, is there any way
to prove that Major Carter is not speaking to us?”
“There are tests that can be run
but I know Jolinar won’t submit to those. Therefore, I have a question to ask.
Sam; who or what do you hate the most?”
Jack turned to Daniel, but the
young man put a hand on his arm.
“I know what I’m doing,” he
whispered.
“That’s easy, Daniel. I hate the
Goa’uld.”
The General turned to Daniel,
expecting the young man to relent, but saw him shaking his head.
“Wrong answer, Jolinar.”
The Tok’ra roared, eyes glowing,
and charged at Daniel, knocking him to the floor. Jack pulled the woman off him
and Jolinar spat at Daniel.
#You will pay for this, Tau’ri!#
~
“How did you know, Daniel?”
They were back in Daniel’s office
now, and Teal’c and Janet had joined them. Jolinar was being held in the brig,
hissing and spitting at any guard who passed her. It was clear Daniel had
struck a nerve.
Daniel took off his glasses, and
massaged the bridge of his nose. It had been a long, cruel day, made worst by
the fact that he couldn’t tell anyone what had made it so bad. Now that Jolinar
had publicly announced his feelings for Sam, he had a lot more room to work
with.
“The question, you mean? Or the
answer?”
“Both, I guess.”
“Yes, Danny. How did you
know that?”
“I am intrigued also, Daniel
Jackson.”
Daniel sat back in the chair, as
his computer continued the check on ‘etcar hariman’.
“Well, I figured that Jolinar
would have access to all of Sam’s memories, so I couldn’t ask her about
Cassandra or anything like that. So, I decided to provoke her. Asking her what
Sam hated the most was the trick.”
“But, why? I mean, what was the real
answer?”
“Don’t you know, Janet? Sam hates
Jolinar! That’s why I couldn’t believe she would just accept Jolinar like
that.”
“Of course! Jolinar wasn’t about
to reveal Sam hated her to the whole Gate room to prove you wrong, so she
settled for lying. She hoped you were just bluffing and would let it drop.
You’re a smart one, Doctor Jackson.”
Daniel nodded to her, just as the
computer finished it’s search. Daniel turned to the screen and whistled softly.
“Well, that certainly
explains…that…”
Jack stood up and came over to the
computer, peering over his shoulder.
“What explains what? All I see is
a bunch of squiggles.”
Daniel sighed and pointed at a
paragraph on the screen.
“It’s Greek, Jack. That’s why you
can’t read it. This is what we want though. ‘The weapon that kills all evil yet
bonds the innocent.’ Okay, maybe we can do without the bonding but…”
“This is the cure? To get rid of
Jolinar?”
“Well, yes and no. As you know,
the Tok’ra have abandoned Jolinar, including Lantesh. No one cares whether she
lives or dies but the damage she could cause Sam is the issue. The Tok’ra
refuse to forcibly remove Jolinar, at that would certainly mean her death but
they also don’t want a living Tok’ra archive just walking around.”
“So, we need to neutralise Jolinar
but they’re not gonna help. Sweet.”
Daniel frowned but Janet did offer
a smile. Jack sat back down, as Daniel passed his hand over the screen. He was
deep in translation, constantly muttering under his breath. Suddenly, he sat up
straight and clicked his fingers.
“ Etcar hariman dossier ton yet!”
Daniel looked excitedly round all
the blank faces, hurrying to explain.
“It’s a weapon! Sam was telling me
about a weapon! This ‘etcar hariman’ thing is a demon slayer; we just have to
find it!”
“And this…thing exists?”
Daniel looked at the sceptical
looks he was getting and frowned.
“Of course it exists! Why would
Sam have told me about a weapon that doesn’t exist?”
“Whoa, hang on a minute! Sam told
you? When was this?”
Janet held up her hand, trying to
understand what the heck was going on. She didn’t want Daniel getting his hopes
up on something that sounded so incredibly… unbelievable.
“You were there, Janet. We were in
the infirmary, Jacob had just walked in and Sam said…”
“Sam wasn’t there, Daniel. Jolinar
was talking to Lantesh.”
Daniel looked confused, as Janet
continued her inquisition. Jack and Teal’c watched it all silently, not sure
what to make of the ‘miracle cure’ Daniel had seemingly pulled out of a hat.
“But I heard her…”
Daniel turned back to the screen
and began to drum steadily on the keys. Janet shook head sadly, and walked out.
Teal’c went close behind her but Jack sat down just beside Daniel.
“Are you sure about this, Daniel?”
Daniel turned to him, eyes blazing
with joy.
“She sent me a message, Jack. Like
Sha’re. But through Jolinar”
Daniel pressed the key one more
time and a picture came up. Daniel quickly downloaded it to his view-finder,
barely listening to Jack.
“Daniel; how can you be sure?
Maybe this is just wishful thinking…on your part?”
Daniel stood up slowly and faced
Jack, staring down on him.
“Why would I make a phrase that
just happens to be a perfect mixture of Gourld and Greek and that spells
a way out of this mess? I don’t think that’s coincidence.”
The computer beeped happily and
Daniel brought up the picture. Jack leaned towards the screen, convinced that
at least Daniel believed what he was saying was true. Daniel hit the
zoom and they both gasped.
For, in the centre of the screen,
was the perfect drawing of a knife. The very same knife that Daniel still had
the wound from, the very one Jolinar stabbed him with and the very same one
that could kill her.
Daniel was speechless for several
seconds before turning to Jack.
“So, where is it?”
Jack looked back at Daniel, his
respect ever increasing. Here was one very persistent man.
“I think Janet still has it. She
was gonna clean it…Daniel!”
But Daniel was already out of the
door, sprinting towards the infirmary. Jack sighed and got up to follow.
~
#Let me OUT!#
Jolinar was getting increasingly
frustrated. This was the second time she had been in this loathsome Tau’ri cage
and this time there was no hope of escape.
Jolinar was still debating how
Daniel knew so much; how he had known, that Samantha wasn’t in control of her
own body.
No! Not her body, my body!
Jolinar smirked. Samantha was
weakening. Soon, she wouldn’t even have to fight that annoying resistance from
her host. If only Daniel Jackson hadn’t interfered, everything would’ve gone
perfectly. The question he had asked has seemed so simple but a quick scan of
Samantha’s memories had made the truth impossible.
Yes, I’m really going
to tell them that Samantha loathes me like no other! I don’t think so!
Jolinar stopped suddenly. That did
not sound like her way of thinking; sarcasm was certainly not her…cup of tea?
Phrases, sayings and innuendos were flitting around her mind, taunting her with
their meanings, completely devoid of any logic or reason.
Raining cats and dogs? Happy as a
sand boy? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush…?
Jolinar audibly screamed and
clutched her head. She had underestimated her host; she was strong indeed.
Jolinar sank to her knees, still screaming with rage and confusion. The guard
pressed the call button immediately, not wishing any harm to come to Major
Carter, who was obviously in pain.
Sam’s voice was ringing
clearly in Jolinar’s mind, mocking the frustrated symbiot.
Sing a song of
sixpence, a pocket full of rye…
Jolinar continued to
scream, as Sam’s voice grew louder in her mind. Sam was gaining strength,
goading Jolinar while mentally projecting her call…
If you can hear
me, Daniel, now would be the time…
~
Daniel stopped dead in
the corridor, Jack nearly walking into the back of him.
“What’s up, Danny?”
Daniel rushed into the
infirmary, grabbed the bloodied knife from the desk and careered into the lift.
Janet stared at Jack, as she tumbled out of her office.
“What’s he doing?”
Jack shrugged and headed
for the lift, swearing as it closed. Janet was soon by his side and the two of
them rushed for the other lift. They closed the door and looked at the controls
and then each other.
“What’s going on,
Colonel?”
“I have no idea, Janet.”
Jack pressed the button
for a higher level, the number escaping Janet’s eye. They arrived shortly and
Janet started. The brig.
Jack and Janet stumbled
in on a bizarre scene. Teal’c and the guard were already there, looking almost
mesmerised. Jolinar had one hand on her head, while Daniel held the knife to
the light, the blood glistening off it.
Jolinar slowly lowered the hand, closed her eyes and opened them
quickly.
“You came.”
Daniel nodded shortly,
convinced by the words ringing in his head. Really me this time, Daniel.
I think we should begin…
Daniel nodded and
grabbed the key from the guard, and opened the cell.
“Doctor Jackson! It’s
dangerous!”
“Daniel!”
“Stop!”
Daniel paid no attention
to them, as he neared Sam, holding the knife steadily. Their eyes never left
each other, as smooth ritual actions followed with a wisdom neither of them
could’ve possibly possessed. Daniel laid his left hand on Sam’s cheek, thumb
supporting her chin. She laid her right hand on top, closing her eyes
trustingly. Her left hand went to his waist, gripping him tightly and softly
whispering.
“Let it be now…”
Daniel brought the knife
to the back of her head, at the base of her skull and closed his eyes slowly.
Jack just managed to stop Janet rushing forward, hoping that Daniel knew what
he was doing. The archaeologist-turned-exorcist pressed the knife gently into
the skin, drawing blood and beginning a low chant.
“What does not belong
shall drain away. What does not belong shall drain away. What does not belong
shall drain away…”
The knife began to glow,
casting Sam in an ethereal light. Her voice joined Daniel’s in the chant, as
their team mates looked on in fascinated horror. A silvery mist began to form
around Sam’s head and rapidly turned gold. Daniel’s eyes flew open and he
brought the knife high into the air.
“Jolinar! Thee are
bound!”
The mist coalesced on
the knife, spiralling around the blade. Daniel let go of the knife, and it was
carried into the air. Daniel drew Sam close, waiting for what he knew would
come.
There was a brief flash
in the sky, and the knife was encircled in flame. An unearthly scream shook the
cell bars, and the rest of the soldiers ducked to the floor. Daniel and Sam
were highlighted in white light, still clutching each other tightly. One of the
bars flung loose and struck Daniel in the back of the head. The light faded and
the pair crashed to the floor.
“Daniel! Daniel, speak
to me please! Daniel!”
Sam sobbed into his
jacket, pulling Daniel to her. She attempted to shield him from the flying
pieces of metal, as the screaming continued. Jack threw himself over Janet,
protecting the medic from harm. Teal’c watched the ceremony continue, aware of
the powerful magic at work in the room.
Suddenly, the knife
thudded to the floor, and the screaming, light and wind faded. Jack slowly
staggered to his feet, followed by Janet and Teal’c. The guard had a broken arm
from a piece of metal but just pointed shakily to the wide-flung cell door.
Janet ran over to Sam and Daniel, assessing the situation at a glance.
“Phone up to the
infirmary. We’ll need a back board and a neck brace. Stretcher, and a
wheelchair if you can get it. Move!”
Jack jumped for the
phone, and began to dial through. Teal’c saw to the shaken guard, using the
man’s jacket as a sling. Sam pressed her hands to Daniel’s face, tears blurring
her vision.
“Help him, Janet.
Please…”
Jack slammed the phone
down, and rushed back to the scene. The petite doctor was gently probing the
head wound, and looking at the growing patch of blood under his T-shirt. She
lifted the soaked material but quickly replaced it.
“The bar rebounded. I
think the brace and board are definitely called for.”
Jack nodded slowly, but
Sam refused to release Daniel. Janet gently pulled away her trembling hands,
wondering what was causing Sam to get so upset.
“You…don’t understand,
Janet. I can’t hear him. I can’t hear him at all.”
Hear him? What’s she
talking about? Janet was totally
confused.
“Sam, he’s just knocked
out for a little while…”
“But the bond’s gone. It
can’t just go. It’s supposed to last forever.”
Janet motioned to Jack,
who took the stricken woman away. The infirmary team arrived at that moment,
but Jack dragged Sam away. He directed her towards the infirmary, but forgot
that a certain someone’s office was en route. Sam was away from him in a flash
and she banged the mouse. The screensaver prompted her for a password, which
she deftly typed in.
“How the hell do you
know that?”
“I changed it.”
The Greek page was still
up. Sam moved her fingers across the page, shocking Jack completely. The action
was almost a perfect replica of Daniel’s own translation technique. Sam
obviously found what she wanted and pointed to it.
“’Should the knife be
smeared with the blood of two innocents then they shall be bonded forever.’
Then, why the hell has it gone?”
Jack watched her in
silence. Bonds…innocents…has the world gone crazy?
“ Okay, find another
bit…oh here. ‘If the knife is cast with the ritual of death after the bonding,
the knife must be washed in the Sea of Atlantis twelve times.’ Uh oh…”
“Pardon me for saying,
but isn’t Atlantis…mythical?”
Sam looked up at him
with huge, tear-filled eyes, and nodded. Jack sighed and took her gently by the
arm towards the infirmary.
~
Janet frowned again and
came over to the group. Sam was still sitting by Daniel’s side, grasping his
hand tightly, but Janet didn’t want to move her just yet. She motioned to her
office, and Jack, Teal’c and the General followed her in. She shut the door and
looked at each anxious face in turn.
“Well, he appears to
be…sleeping. Apart from that, nothing’s wrong.”
“Then, why isn’t he
awake?”
Janet shrugged and shook
her head. Teal’c’s face was like thunder, and Jack’s was just as clouded.
However, the General’s face was perfectly neutral, even if he was crumbling
inside.
“Um…I’m not sure
how…relevant this is but Sam and Daniel were doing some kinda…telepathy…back
there. It could just be…wishful thinking…but Sam thinks we can kinda…wake him
up.”
Jack raised an eyebrow,
before frowning. He was obviously doubtful himself, but Janet leapt at his
words.
“What’s her suggestion?”
Jack frowned again, and
licked his lips several times.
“Um…we have to kinda
wash the knife-thing twelve times…”
“Well that’s easy
enough…”
Jack held up a hand and
met her eyes.
“…in the Sea of
Atlantis.”
Janet’s eyes went wide
and she mouthed a silent ‘oh’.
“Daniel Jackson once
referred to such a place. Is it not from your Greek philosopher Plato’s
fictional writings?”
Jack raised his eyes,
and everyone turned to Teal’c.
“How do you know that,
Teal’c?”
“Daniel Jackson was very
excited about the possibility that Atlantis could have been a planet, instead
of a mere island.”
“But no joy?”
“Indeed not.”
“There are suggested
places for Atlantis, aren’t there?”
“Yes. The Aegean Sea is
the most popular suggestion.”
Everyone turned at the
voice, and Sam leaned inside the doorway. She looked way older than her years
and it felt like Jolinar’s ghost was still haunting her features.
“You okay, Sam?”
“Fine. Daniel…liked to
talk about Atlantis. It fired his imagination.”
Sam smiled to herself,
and that caused Janet to smile as well.
“Um…there are several
theories about where Atlantis is or was. Um…some think it was Thίra, a
place in the Aegean Sea. Other theories put forward Crete, Canary Islands,
Scandinavian Peninsula or even the Americas. Of course, the most popular is
that it sunk in the Aegean Sea.”
“You an expert on this,
Carter?”
“Almost, sir.”
There was a hint of a
smile on her lips, and Jack smiled back. Let’s hope things can be normal
soon. Normal? Since when did that apply here?
“Well, forgive me for
sounding dense, but where is the Aegean Sea?”
“It is in the
Mediterranean Sea, O’Neill. Between Greece and Asia Minor.”
“And how the hell do you
know that?”
“Major Carter and Daniel
Jackson introduced me to an intriguing new idea. I believe it is called the
‘Discovery Channel’.”
“Oh for crying out loud!
Didn’t I forbid Daniel introducing Teal’c to that?”
Sam smiled fully before
glancing back to Daniel’s bed. She turned back, and the worried frown had
re-settled on her face.
“So, we emulate the
Aegean Sea?”
“Yeah, I guess. But how
do we do that?”
Jack was trying to get
his brain to form words without worrying too much. First, Sam and Jolinar had
driven him close to madness and now Daniel was depending on a stupid knife to
bring him back. And a couple of exhausted and clumsy team mates who are
trying to create a sea. His luck really isn’t good.
“Or, we could take the
knife there?”
“Takes too long.”
“True.”
The General, Teal’c and
Janet watched the two in fascination, as they struggled with their plan.
“Okay, I’ll research the
Med.”
~
Sam threw the letter
opener straight at the wall, just missing Jack as he walked in.
“Careful!”
“I can’t find a damn
thing! Okay, it’s saltier than the Atlantic. What bloody good is that?”
“Calm down! Daniel is
depending on us; we can’t lose it now!”
“I know that!”
Sam stood up, shaking
the desk. Her coffee jumped, spilling on a sheet of paper. Sam cursed and
picked up the note, then froze. Jack came over and looked at the paper from
behind.
“’Notes for Janet’?”
Sam looked back at him,
eyes shining.
“It’s a clue.”
~
“Cleaning instructions?”
“For the knife! He
must’ve researched it absently, while searching for a cure!”
Janet got caught up in
Sam’s excitement and rang through to the canteen.
“I want a bowl of cold
water brought to the infirmary stat!”
Janet slammed the phone
back down, and looked over the piece of paper.
“There are quite a few
elements here, like magnesium and sodium. What are they there for?”
“Sea-water isn’t just
salt and water, y’know. There are many elements. Daniel wants an accurate
mixture. I can get all these things though.”
“I guess I can’t just
use ordinary salt then?”
“’Fraid not. I’ll get it
for you. It’ll take ten minutes.”
Sam raced out of the
room, to find all the chemicals needed.
“We should get the water
the right temperature as well.”
Jack watched Janet go
about finding a heater, while watching the patient in the next room as well. It
was always Daniel who was worse off, no matter the situation. How Jack wished
he could put himself in Daniel’s place, take the punishment that fate seemed
determined to inflict on Daniel. He knew Sam felt the same as well. You’re
not gonna bail out on us, Danny. Not now.
“What temperature is the
Mediterranean, Jack?”
“No idea. Look it up.”